Frosted Windowpanes
by Meta-Akira
Summary: It's Christmas Eve in Cherrygrove. A White Christmas is certain, but he has no one to spend it with. Well, that might not be the case for long when he bumps into Lyra... SoulSilvershipping. Merry Christmas!


**Hello and Merry Christmas! Akira here! Here is my promised SoulSilvershipping Christmas one-shot. I hope you enjoy it! It was inspired by my frequent late-night walks in the snow, looking ant Christmas lights, and a certain song by a wonderful singer named Frank Sinatra. Read, review, enjoy, and have a very wonderful Christmas!**

**I do not own the characters of HG and SS, nor do I own the song "Christmas Waltz".  
(~)**

"_Frosted windowpanes, candles gleaming inside._

_Painted candy canes on the tree…"_

"Silver, let's take a walk!"

He was pulled out of his reverie, and he blinked, picking his head up to stare at the girl who was sitting across the table from him.

She was wearing a snug, light blue turtleneck sweater with a white stripe across the chest. Her overall shorts were replaced with jeans to fend off the cold. Her balloon of a hat was gone, but her pigtails were still there, decorated with small, peppermint-striped ribbons. An insulated cup was situated in front of her. Curls of steam swirled upwards from the piping hot concoction. The pile of whipped cream and mint sprinkles that had carefully been constructed was melting into the hot chocolate, and she was twirling the mixture around with a complimentary candy cane.

"Come again?" he said blandly, ignoring his own cup of coffee. He never had been much for the caffeinated beverage, but neither was he someone who lacked enough dignity as to buy one of those girly, prettied, sprinkly hot chocolates. It even had a prissy name, Chocolate Mint Winter Delight. What kind of a guy could say that out loud without compromising his masculinity?

Either way, they had given him a complimentary candy cane as well, whether or not he was willing to participate in the festive mood of the season.

"After we're done here, I want us to take a walk," she replied as she stopped swishing her beverage with the candy cane. She pulled out the sugary peppermint stick and placed it in her mouth. Her eyes closed in contentment, and Silver looked away to avoid getting heated in the face.

He sighed, and placed his head on his hand again, looking out the frost-glazed window once more.

"I don't know if you realize this Lyra," he said, rolling his mercury eyes, "but it's _dark_ out. And _pretty d_- er, I mean… It's freezing."

He furrowed his eyebrows. He'd never had any qualms about swearing. He wouldn't exactly drop f-bombs everywhere he went, but he'd never been one to restrain himself when it came to language. But he knew from experience that Lyra never swore- in fact, sometimes she'd spout out gibberish and nonsense words that he found to be pretty amusing- and she wasn't particularly keen on him swearing. She'd never said anything outright, but he sometimes noticed a very subtle cringe in her otherwise bright cinnamon eyes.

And now he found himself censoring his words in front of her. How had he let himself get to be so soft?

She giggled, and to his frustration, he felt a giddy sensation, much like one would get after going on a roller coaster that had upside-down loops. He squashed it down inside of him, and maintained an indifferent, almost disdainful, look on his face.

"I know that it's dark out. But I still think we should take a walk," she chuckled, licking more creamy foam from the candy cane. He cursed himself for having the audacity to think, for even a mere moment, that she looked almost cute.

"What about the fact that it's freezing, Lyra? It's a freaking fifteen degrees outside. Fahrenheit, not Celcius," he said, flicking the fingers of the hand that wasn't supporting his head towards the frosted windowpane.

"So?"

"Some people would consider that to be very cold," Silver explained slowly, as if he were talking to a toddler who wanted to play in the snow while wearing shorts. He tried not to shiver when he felt a gust of arctic air flow in when a new customer entered the Christmas-decorated café to stave off the biting cold.

"Again I ask. So? We both have warm coats. And we can bring our nice hot drinks with us. We've already paid, so we can go at any time," she said cheerfully.

"Why would you want to take a walk now, anyways?" Silver asked, ignoring what Lyra had just said.

"Aww, come on Silver? Please?"

He growled to himself, refusing to look over at her, because he knew what he'd find if he did. And he didn't know if he had the fortitude to withstand it, as much as he hated admitting it to himself.

_Don't look at her don't look at her don't look at her don't look at her don't look at her don't-_

"Silver?"

He looked. And he cursed to himself. Because he had expected it, yet he went and had fallen into the snare.

Her warm cinnamon eyes were looking at him widely, trapping him. They weren't sad, they weren't pleading, and they weren't being pouty and puppylike. Lyra never tried to manipulate him like that. It was just those eyes. Her regular eyes.

_Dangit, why?_

"Come on. I don't think you'll regret it. And if you do, you can yell at me about it later, I promise," she chirped. "Please?"

Despite what she said, he very much was sure he would regret it. He tried to hold back, bite his tongue, anything but let her win _yet another_ battle, whether or not she was aware of it. But-

"Fine," he said on a sigh, sounding resigned to his fate.

_Lyra: 467, Silver: Still 0_

Lyra's smile grew into a happy grin. "Thanks, Silver!"

"Whatever," he deadpanned, standing up. He was still in his usual attire. He pulled on a winter coat, black as usual. Lyra also got to her feet, jingling. Silver gritted his teeth when he remembered the cheerful little brass jingle bell that Lyra had strung around her neck on a red cord.

Lyra slipped on brown winter coat that fell almost to her knees. Its hood was ruffed with faux Eevee fur. She pulled on a silver and black striped fuzzy scarf, and finally placed a bright red Santa hat snugly onto her head so it covered her ears. She grabbed her cup of minty hot chocolate, the candy cane still poking out over the rim of the cup. Silver didn't even bother to take the dregs of his coffee. He left the disposable cup to be cleaned up by an employee.

"Come on, let's go," Lyra piped up cheerfully, heading towards the door. Silver braced himself for the wave of iciness to impact him. He unintentionally shivered. Lyra, however, didn't seem to pay any regard to the temperature. In fact, she seemed even livelier than before.

Her face seemed to light up as she scanned the main road. It was what Cherrygrove would consider to be 'downtown', but it had a homey feel to it. All the stores were small and located on the main road, close to each other. All the stores were alive with Christmas lights, garlands, and wreaths hug invitingly on each door, with the display windows all frosty, much like the one at the café. The sky was clear and full of stars, and the lights from the decorations was reflected off the several inches of snow, illuminating everything nicely.

"Isn't it lovely?" Lyra asked, her breath escaping in a puff of white.

Silver shrugged, trying to keep from shivering. He was never one to take in the sights. He fumbled at his belt and released his Sneasel. Meganium definitely wouldn't appreciate the icy temperatures, but Sneasel thrived on it. Once he was out of his capsule, the Dark/Ice Pokémon brightened, and jumped into a pile of snow.

"Well, come on, then," she said, tugging at his hand eagerly, even though she wasn't setting a fast pace. Silver felt a swoop in his stomach as she took his hand briefly to pull him in a certain direction. And though he scoffed at himself for it, he almost felt disappointment when she let go. Trying to ignore these emotions, he trudged after the jingling girl, putting his hands in his pockets to keep them warm. Sneasel followed close behind, darting here and there and enjoying himself.

There were few others around who were braving the temperatures. But they seemed to be mostly Christmas shoppers. However, the occasional carol drifted into Silver's ears. He couldn't catch the words, though.

"I love this time of year," Lyra sighed blissfully, looking around at the lights with sparkling eyes. "Christmas always cheers me up."

"As if you weren't cheerful to begin with," Silver said sardonically.

"Well," she laughed, "I have moments when I feel down."

"You?" Silver scoffed. "The eternal optimist?"

"Yes, big surprise, I know," she replied, then lost a little of her pep. "Actually, you might be surprised how often I do feel a bit sad. I try to make the best of things, and eventually, I snap out of it. But still, there are a lot of times when I'm not my cheerful self."

Silver glanced over at her. She was smiling sadly, watching her feet kick at clods of snow on the pavement.

"What makes you feel sad?" he asked seriously, not used to Lyra not being her peppy self.

"Oh, it's a number of things. Stress from being the Champion of Johto, sometimes."

"Because that must be the worst job ever," he added sarcastically, especially since he had been aiming for it himself.

"But you see, I didn't do it for prestige. I did it for the challenge. But there is so much pressure being the Champion. So many people watch you, see you as the role model. One screw up, and that's all it takes for your reputation to be completely ruined across the region. Or maybe internationally, since Kanto is so close," she said in a matter-of-fact tone.

_Never thought of it that way…_

"Hm…" was all Silver really said. After a few moments, he glanced at her again and noticed her still-downcast smile. "There's more, isn't there?"

"I don't want to shove off my stuff on you," she chuckled weakly. "You probably don't want to listen to them."

"Don't assume," Silver said sharply, causing Lyra to jump. Sneasel glanced at him briefly before once again detouring to jump in a snow pile. "Never just assume what people want. I don't mind. You can tell me."

"Oh. Right, sorry," she said, watching Sneasel.

"You apologize for the wrong stuff," he snorted. Lyra just nodded. She paused to listen to a strain of Christmas music. It was familiar, but too distant for either of them to place it. She continued walking, a shivering Silver accompanying her.

"There were times… when… well, what you used to say would… get to me," she finally murmured.

Silver had the horrible sudden feeling that usually accompanied missing a step on a staircase.

_Oh… crap._

"Usually, I wouldn't think about it too much. But… sometimes it would echo in my head, especially if I had lost a major battle or something," she said, sounding ashamed. Silver, however, felt guilt pounding through him, though he tried to hide it as best he could.

"Like when? I never knew you lost any major battles," he responded.

"Oh, there were times… I lost to Whitney once. And another time to Pryce. Twice I lost to Clair."

"The woman with the nutjob costumes?" Silver asked incredulously.

"Yeah. At first, I wouldn't think about it. But then, I started to feel a tiny bit of doubt. I'd remember when you would say I was weak, how I wasn't anything special-"

"I was wrong," Silver cut her off abruptly, gritting his teeth. He shelved his pride with a bit of difficulty and continued. "Don't think about what I used to say. We both know I was wrong. I was an egocentric idiot who was furious because I kept losing. You're… you're a strong person. Don't ever think like that again. I'm…. I'm _sorry._"

A small smile came back to her. "Thanks, Silver. That means a lot."

"Yeah, whatever," he sighed. They walked again through the lit street, occasionally looking through the window of a store.

"I miss my Dad," she said softly after a few minutes. Silver almost didn't hear it. She was smiling sadly again. He grunted to show he was listening.

"I get these times when I am suddenly struck again by the fact that he's gone. He died six years ago, when I was ten, in a car accident…" There were a few moments pause, filled with the sound of crunching snow under their feet. "I love Christmas, but it's also when I miss him the most."

Silver sighed again, it escaping from his lips in a white cloud. "My mother died when I was six. From a disease. I can't remember a whole lot about her anymore, but she was a good person. And I remember she loved Christmas a lot, too."

"I'm sorry," Lyra said, looking at him.

"Stop apologizing for the wrong stuff," Silver said again gruffly. "It's not your fault."

"I suppose," she said, starting to brighten again as she gazed at all the lights.

Silver just noticed that while he was shivering like mad, she didn't seem at all fazed.

"So, how come _I've_ never seen you sad before?"

"I dunno," she seemed genuinely surprised by his question and pondered over if for a few moments. "I suppose that I always was just happy when I was around you, I guess."

His insides lurched. He felt his face heat up, and he was glad that the cold gave him the cover of his face already being a bit red.

Lyra continued on without noticing Silver's discomfort. She looked cheerful again, the puffball at the end of her Santa hat bobbing with the beat of her stride, with the merry tune of her bell accompanying it.

She took a sip of her hot chocolate, and Silver was again struck by the cold around him. He shuddered violently as a chill breeze swept past them, whipping his red hair about.

"How the heck aren't you shaking like mad?" Silver finally asked.

"Hm?" Lyra pulled her eyes away from a snow-encrusted tree that glittered with dangling icicle lights. "I suppose I'm used to it, I guess."

She twirled around so she was facing him, walking confidently backwards down the poorly-shoveled sidewalk.

"It just makes me feel so alive, yunno? It's so crisp and dry. It means snow and Christmas. It makes me feel like spontaneously running through snowdrifts!"

"Hn," Silver snorted, rolling his eyes and looking away. "Maybe you want to spend the holidays with pneumonia, but I on the other hand- eh?"

He felt something fuzzy and warm being placed around his neck. He looked down to discover the silver and black striped scarf Lyra had been wearing. Lyra had taken it off, folded it, and tucked the ends through the loop to make something like a snug, warm necktie.

"There!" she chirped. "It looks good on you!"

His heart thudded uncomfortably, and he knew his face was red.

"I, er… uh, thanks…" he stammered.

_Way to sound like a moron._

Lyra bobbed her head in a nod. "No problem. You looked chilly. It's my favorite scarf, but it seemed like you needed it more than I did," she snickered, but not unkindly.

In an effort to snub her remark and hide his flushed face simultaneously, he buried his chin and nose into the soft woven material. He tried hard not to think about how it smelled like Lyra's hair, cinnamon and peppermint. Oh God, he was getting soft.

"Oh, Silver!" Lyra's gasp pulled him out of his muddled thoughts full of befuddlement and self-scathing. "Look!"

His metallic eyes followed the direction her hand was pointed in. The road seemed to end up ahead. There seemed to be a sort of town park there, and the icy glimmering sea lay beyond that. The park was decorated to rival the beauty of the main street.

He reluctantly followed. Sneasel seemed more enthusiastic; romping through any snow drift he passed by. The little black weasel Pokémon soon caught up with Lyra and jumped at her. She giggled and caught the creature in her arms, twirling through the snow towards the park.

"That little suck-up," Silver mumbled to himself.

As they drew closer towards the Town Park, the strains of Christmas music became a little easier to hear.

What seemed to be a Christmas tune in a sort of waltz was playing. Lyra brightened when she apparently recognized it, and she started humming along. It seemed vaguely familiar to Silver, but he couldn't remember all the words. Something about candy canes and frosty windows? Whatever. He didn't dwell too much on it.

"Hey, Silver, this way," Lyra said. Her one arm was wrapped round Sneasel, who looked quite content, even smug. It ticked Silver off when Sneasel glanced knowingly at him, sticking out his small tongue at his master. "Come on, there's a lovely little gazebo over there. It's decorated so nicely and we can sit down."

"Hn."

The gazebo in question was covered in lights and blanketed in snow. The lights glowed through the white fluff. I did look nice, not that he would ever admit it. Lyra took a seat in the small shelter that overlooked the calm ocean. The Christmas lights played off of Lyra's face nicely. He glanced away, his cheeks tinged a little more pink than usual.

"So, did you have plans for Christmas, Silver?"

"Hn, no. My only family is missing, remember?" He responded with a roll of his eyes. "And we're not exactly on speaking terms."

"Oh," she murmured. "So you aren't really going anywhere for Christmas tomorrow, huh?"

"No, guess not."

"You could come over to my house," Lyra blurted, going a bit pink in the face.

"Hn? What?" Silver looked over at her incredulously. She locked gazes with his mercury eyes.

"Well, you see… I'm spending Christmas at home with my Mom. See, she's alone most of the time. And, well, we have a guest bedroom, and there's going to be a bit of a party."

"And you're… inviting me?" Silver asked, knowing he flushed again, but he hoped the temperature would give him the excuse that his face was cold, when in fact, it was quite the opposite.

"Well, yes," Lyra said affirmatively, fidgeting. "Professor Elm is going to attend the party and-"

"Then I'm not going," Silver grunted decisively. Yes, he had made amends with the professor for stealing his Chikorita, now a Meganium. But that didn't mean that he wanted to spend an y excess time with him. That would just be… awkward.

"Some of my neighbors are coming and Ethan's going to be there, too," Lyra continued, trying to convince him to go.

"_Who?_" He asked scathingly.

"Er, Ethan Gold. He's been my friend since I was a little kid," she said awkwardly.

"…_Fine_. I'll go," he muttered. Her face lit up.

_I'm not jealous. There's no _way_ I could be jealous. Who could possibly be jealous of some creep with a wimpy Marril?_

"Oh, thank you Silver! That means a lot to me!" Lyra commented cheerfully. "It's not nice to spend Christmas alone."

"I spent my birthday alone," Silver said, trying to sound indifferent. "Well… most of it, anyway."

"Really?" Lyra blinked. "When is your birthday?"

He hesitated to tell her. But when he looked at her cinnamon eyes, he felt himself give way.

"…Today."

Her face was almost hilarious. He smirked, wanting to laugh. But then he was caught in a vice grip.

"L-Lyra… Wh-what in Mew's name are you… Why are y-you-?" His face was red as Lyra's Santa hat.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier, Silver?" she murmured into his shoulder as she hugged him tightly.

"I-I never make a big deal out of my birthday. No one has before…"

Wrong thing to say. Her face looked a bit sad. But it was gone in the blink of an eye, being replaced by happy determination.

"Well, it's time for a change. Because I'll make a big deal about your birthday. I care about you too much to just let it pass unnoticed."

Silver tried to squirm uncomfortably out of her grip, but found that he couldn't bring himself to. He slowly relaxed into the embrace, even placing his arms around her back. He couldn't see it, but Lyra's smile turned into a wide grin.

"You're seventeen now, right?"

"…Yeah…"

"Well, then it's settled. You'll come to my house tonight and we'll celebrate Christmas- and your birthday -together tomorrow. But… I'm not sure what to give you…"

"Lyra, don't bother…" he started, feeling guilty that he hadn't thought of giving her anything. To be fair, he hadn't expected to bump into her in Cherrygrove on Christmas Eve. But still…

"I won't hear it Silver," she said sharply, pulling out of their hug. But she smiled.

"Well, for Christmas, I'll give you that scarf," she pointed to the silver and black scarf that was wrapped snugly around his neck. Silver blinked in surprise at her thoughtfulness.

"But you said it was your favorite…"

"That makes it all the more special," she said, waving off his protest. "But for your birthday… Hm…"

"I mean it, Lyra," he still objected. "You don't have to give me anything. Especially since I haven't gotten anything for you for Christmas."

"Hmm…" she said again, placing a finger on her chin, thinking. A shy but slightly mischievous smile was growing on her face. "How about a present we can share?"

"Huh? What the heck are you talking about?" Silver questioned, raising an eyebrow. "You aren't making any se-"

He was cut off by Lyra. He blinked and reddened when he realized that Lyra was giving him a kiss.

Before his brain could process what was happening, she had left him in the gazebo.

_Wait… what?_

His cheeks flooded with heat. He spun around to see Lyra outside the gazebo, grinning cheekily at him, her face almost as flushed as his.

"Come on, birthday boy. We have a bit of a walk if we're going to get to New Bark Town tonight," she called brightly, waving to him.

He blinked in a stupor before he finally was able to follow after her. Sneasel gave the two a sly smirk.

"Oh, shut up," Silver muttered, kicking some snow at the weasel.

The two made their way pink-facedly back through the street of frosted windowpanes as Lyra slipped her hand into his.

As they left, the strains of music echoed through the streets.

"_It's that time of year, when the world falls in love._

_Every song you hear, seems to say_

'_Merry Christmas, may your New Year's dreams come true._

_And this song of mine, in three-quarter time,_

_Wishes you and yours the same thing, too…"_

**(~)**_  
_**Well, how was it? What did you think? It might have rambled a bit, but I think it came out alright.  
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and I'll see you next time, when I update Time's Design and Darkrai's Redemption!  
It's been a wonderful year. I'll miss 2010.  
Later guys. ~Meta-Akira 3  
**


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